Artistic sweets: Maria Grazia Frau of Siniscola wins the international Arezzo Fair.

Sardinia achieved a prestigious double success at the FIEA 2025 International Artistic Dessert Championship, held on November 4th in Arezzo, as part of the Fiera del Gusto (Taste Fair). Maria Grazia Frau, a pastry artist from Siniscola, represented the island in the competition organized by FIEA – the International Federation of Edible Art Excellence, winning the silver medal in the artistic dessert category. For the competition, Frau presented four mini creations, each weighing 9 grams: the Sospiro Decorata (decorated sigh), a small, finely finished ricotta "casatina" (a small, delicately decorated ricotta cake); the Gallinella Sarda (a Sardinian chicken) made with almond paste and chocolate, filled and decorated with gold royal icing; and Sos Pretziosos (precious hearts), with a pompia heart and an elaborate decoration inspired by island tradition. "Each dessert was different and meticulously crafted: four pieces of each type, perfectly weighed and completed within two hours under the clock," she explains. Competitors from over 25 countries competed, but the Sardinian artist didn't stop at silver. Immediately afterward, she participated in the 2025 Olympic World Bakery session, organized by World IAC, this time dedicated to bread. Representing Sardinia, she made four miniature loaves, each weighing 40 grams: carasattu bread, coccone according to the carasau tradition, a hard dough lorica, and a fully decorated ceremonial bread. Here, too, the clock was ticking: three hours without any assistance. Frau finished first, meeting weights and deadlines, and took home the gold medal. This triumph follows her victory at last year's Italian championship. "I didn't win," she declared with emotion. "My homeland won."